Recent News

An East Central University student who decided to change careers and go back to school has received a new scholarship honoring a former Ada businessman. Rachel Baker has been awarded a $2,000 J.D. Haney Nursing Scholarship for 2011-12.

The scholarship fund was established by Dr. Charles Barrick, a retired ECU professor who taught in the Industrial Education and Technology Department and the Education Department. Barrick said he met J.D. Haney when he moved to Ada in 1971 and valued his friendship. He decided to name the scholarship after the late café owner.

Squabbling sopranos and a witch who eats children will be on stage Thursday through Sunday [NOV. 10-13] for two operas in East Central University’s Dorothy Summers Theatre in Science Hall.

The ECU Opera Theatre will present “The Impresario,” a one-act comic opera with spoken dialog, followed by “Hansel and Gretel,” based on the famous fairy tale. The performances will start at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 3 p.m. Sunday.

Study Abroad opportunities in Spain will be discussed at East Central University Thursday [NOV. 10] at Go Global: Spotlight on Spain.

Spanish natives and ECU students who toured and studied in Spain will provide information from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Regents Room in Knight Hall. Spanish tapas and door prizes also will be available.

The evening is sponsored by ECU’s Global Education Office and the Global Education Committee. For more information contact Dr. Mara Sukholutskaya at msukholu@ecok.edu or Dr. Robert Newcomer at newcomer@ecok.edu.

Homecoming activities are planned for East Central University students Monday through Friday [OCT. 10-14] before the traditional events on Saturday. The Campus Life and Leadership Office has changed some student events and added several new ones, including a Homecoming concert at 9:30 p.m. Thursday with Texas singer/rapper Chalie Boy.

The 2012 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, who will speak Monday [NOV. 7] at East Central University, believes her strength is loving to “start the applause” as she inspires her students to love school, strive for personal excellence and leave her classroom prepared for the future.

Kristin Shelby, a 4th grade teacher at Sallie Gillentine Elementary School in Hollis, will speak at ECU’s Marvin Stokes Endowed Lectureship. She will discuss “The Race: Ours to Win!” at 6:30 p.m. in the Estep Multimedia Center in the Bill Cole University Center.

East Central University has been awarded a five-year, $2 million grant for Strengthening the Culture: Undergraduate Research and Student Academic Success, a program to improve and expand ECU’s capacity to serve Native American students and low-income students.

The grant, effective Oct. 1, was awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, and is funded from the department’s Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions, Part F Program.

Mark Twain is coming to East Central University on Nov. 10 [THURSDAY], along with the curator of his museum in Hannibal, Mo., and retired ECU dean Dr. Alvin Turner, the author of a new book of poetry about a famous historical event in Ada.

In addition, Native American cultural events, demonstrations and performances are planned earlier that week for Nov. 7-9 [MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY].

The East Central University Flute, Clarinet, Brass and Jazz Ensembles will perform on the Instrumental Ensembles Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday [NOV. 3] in the Ataloa Theatre in ECU’s Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Flute Ensemble’s concert will feature the music of Catherine McMichael who writes “some of the most beautiful literature in the flute choir repertoire,” said director Juliana Overmier.

East Central University's mission is to foster a learning environment in which students, faculty, staff, and communityinteract to educate students for life in a rapidly changing and culturally diverse society. Within its service area,East Central University provides leadership for economic development and cultural enhancement.